Lavengro: The Scholar, the Gypsy, the Priest (Oxford Paperbacks)

PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION. (1851.) IN the following pages I have endeavoured to describe a dream, partly of study, partly of adventure, in which will be found copious notices of books, and many descriptions of life and manners, some in a very unusual form. The scenes of action lie in the British Islands. Pray be not displeased, gentle reader, if perchance thou hast imagined that I was about to conduct thee to distant lands, and didst promise thyself much instruction and entertainment from what I might tell thee of them. I do assQre thee that thou hast no reason to be displeased, inasmuch as there are no countries in the world less known by the British than these selfsame British Islands, or where more strange things are every day occurring, whether in road or street, house or dingle. The time embraces nearly the first quarter of the present century. This information, again, may perhaps be anything but agreeable to thee; it is a long time to revert to-but fret' noTable of Contents CONTENTS; CHAPTER I; Birth - My Father-Tamerlane-Ben Brain-Frencl~ Protestants - East; Anglia--Sorrow and Troubles-True Peace-A Beautiful Child-Foreign; Grave-Mirrors-Alpine Country-Emblems-Slow of Speech-The Jew; PAGE; -Strange Gestures • I; CHAPTER II; Barracks and Lodgings-A Camp-The Viper-A Delicate Child-Blackberry; Time-Meum and Tuum-Hythe-The Golgotha-Daneman's; Skull-Superhuman Stature-Stirring Times-The Sea-Bard 9; CHAPTER III; Pretty D : • ,-The Venerable Church-The Stricken Heart-Dormant; Energies-The Small Packet-Nerves-The Books-A Picture-Mountain-; like Billows-The Foot-Print-Spirit of De Foe-Reasoning Powers; -Terrors of God-Heads of the Dragons-High-Church Clerk-A; Journey-The Drowned Country 15; CHAPTER IV; Nocman Cross-Wide Expanse-Vive l'Empereur-Unpruncd Woods-Man; with the Bag-Froth and Conceit-I beg your Pardo